Hilke MacIntyre was born and grew up in Germany near the Danish border. She studied at the College of Art and Architecture in Kiel and after a diploma in Architecture worked for various architects in Germany and Britain. In 1996 she moved to Scotland and concentrated on lino cutting, painting and making ceramic reliefs. Particular influences are 'primitive' art, early 20th Century European art and contemporary design. The limited edition ceramic reliefs are made in editions of 50. An original design is first formed from clay and a plaster mould is then taken. New slabs of soft clay are pressed into the plaster mould to produce a relief. After a first lower firing in a kiln, the reliefs are individually glazed and as such, whilst part of an edition, are unique. They are then fired again at a high temperature. Each tile is numbered and signed. The reliefs are frost proof.